Blogs with Voicethread for Third/Fourth grade

Hi, I am also new here and am looking for real suggestions.

As an in service teacher, I want my student teaching to be exciting. We just got a brand new ActivBoard. (Nothing to do with my question, I don't think.)
My MT uses no tech. The kids are pretty saavy, I think they'll catch on to anything. I'm looking for a medium that can do everything.
I want a page for voicethreads, a page for kids to blog, a page to the parents (and that they can communicate back with me), pages and links to what we are studying -kids work/writing/responses, and I want it to look pretty.

I checked out pageflakes and it's not pretty. (am I blind to something?)
Weebly is cool, but I can't figure out voicethreads on that one.

Also, the kids might want to connect with another class. Finally, I'd love to keep the site for future and interviewing.
Thoughts? Is a Wiki my real option? A blog?
Thanks!
Maria

Tags: ?, Blog, Voicethread, for, or, students, with

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stephen Ransom on February 9, 2009 at 9:00am

Edublogs is a nice solution, as it also allows you to set up student accounts easily if that is something you are interested in. You can create multiple pages for your blog and enable which ones have the commenting feature turned on. Most objects (like VoiceThread) are embeddable on blog posts/pages. Having a blog would also facilitate making connections with other classes worldwide.

A wiki could be an option as well, but the conversation features are not as natural as with blogs and it opens up all kinds of issues with information that you don't want being edited being altered. With blogs, comments do not effect the initial post information or embedded media. I think a blog is the way to go here.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Maria on February 10, 2009 at 6:01pm

Stephen,
Thank you! I'm also 'testing' the waters here on Classroom 2.
I thought there would be more responses. Interesting.

I've been emailing my tech. Prof about this. Your response, though, gives me the facts of classroom life that she forgot about. Much appreciated.

When you say, edublog, you mean wordpress or something like that? Also, I didn't realize I could individuate pages on the blog, commenting or not. Is that with all of them?
Thanks!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Stephen Ransom on February 10, 2009 at 6:51pm

Edublogs is a blogging service (wordpress based). You can find it at http://edublogs.org/

This is a great service because not only does it allow you to blog in the typical way, but it also allows you to create new pages, on which you can set if commenting is enabled or not. So, in effect, you can use it to create your own website of sorts and determine which elements are social in nature (commenting enabled) and which are more static and informative (commenting disabled).

More info about it here: http://edublogs.org/10-ways-to-use-your-edublog-to-teach/

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Maria on February 10, 2009 at 9:01pm

Yea!
I went fishing earlier. Didn't find the 'Free' stuff.'
Is the free good enough? Sorry, I'm asking you and will (promise!) to read it edublog later.I gotta go home (I study at the library.).

and thanks again..